CNBC Fed Survey

Wall Street Dramatically Hikes Fed Easing Expectations

Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images

Wall Street has dramatically increased its expectations for another round of quantitative easing from the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Sixty money managers, investment strategists, and professional economists responded to our “snap” CNBC Fed Survey just hours after Friday's jobs report from the government showed anemic growth in May.

Fifty-eight percent of them expect the Fed to launch a third round of quantitative easingin the next year.

That's up from just 33 percent of those responding to our survey six weeks ago, and it's the highest 'yes' reading we've seen since we started asking this question last July.

Of those saying they expect more Fedeasing, 42 percent think the Fed will move at its June policymaking meeting. Another 47 percent believe the central bank will wait until its July gathering.

On average, the Wall Street pros expect the upcoming round of QE will total $451 billion.

Guy LeBas of Janney Montgomery Scott wrote: "The downright dismal performance of the labor markets in May increases the odds of Fed action dramatically. This is exactly the sort of downside risk the dovish policymakers were concerned about" in the April FOMC minutes.

A majority of those responding now believe the Fed will keep interest rates "exceptionally low" through late 2014. Less than three months ago, only 40 percent thought the Fed was right when it said economic conditions are "likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate at least through late 2014."